Thomas galligan



(No Model.)

T. GALLIGAN. GAR COUPLING.

- No. 567,465 Patented Sept; 8, 1896.

. I E i 1 WITNESSES: I V I/VVE/VTOI? ATTORNEYS;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS GALLIGAN, OF BRADFORD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN G.PORTER, SAMETLAOE.

CAR-CCU PLINGJ SPEGEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,465,dated September 8, 1896.

" Applieationfiled April 3, 1896. $erial No. 586,067. (No am.)

T0 on whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, THOMAS GALLIGAN, of Bradford, in the county of Miamiand State of Ohio, have invented new and useful In1- provements inOar-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to car-couplings of the J anney type, in which adrawhead having a pivoted laterally-movable knuckle is provided.

The object of the invention is to provide a car-coupling of theindicated character with novel features of simple construction, whichwill render the improved coupling very effective in operation and adaptit for release from another coupling of similar construction in a safemanner from the side of the car having the improvements.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, asis hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a reverse plan View of two main portions of twocar-couplings having the in1- provements, and of a car-frame portionshown in dotted lines, one coupling being represented in place thereon.Fig. 2 is a detached and partly-sectional plan View of the main portionof the improved car-coupling. Fig. 3 is a front end view of the improvedcoupling. Fig. 4 is a detail View.

In carrying into efiect the features of invention, 10 indicates thenovel draw-head, which is integral with the elongated draw-bar 11, thelatter being in service secured to the frame A of a car by any preferredmeans". The draw-head 10 projects at one side of the draw-bar and isforwardly curved a suitable degree, having a convex outer side and aconcave front produced thereon, which converge and afford a horn a.Thedraw-head is chambered, so as to provide a receptacle for thetailpiece 13 of the knuckle 12, and the upper and lower sides of saidchamber 7) are rendered level and parallel, so that the tailpiece mayfreely rock therein, the chamber having an opening 0 at the front andside opposite fromthe horn a for the free introduction of' which isconcentric with the'pivot-h ole formed.-

in the tailpiece for the reception of the pintlebolt 14, said hole beingin alinem'ent with opposite perforations of equal diameter therewith,whichare produced at a correct point in the upper and lower walls of thedraw-head chamber. There is a toe 13 formed integral with the tailpiece13;, which toe projects therefrom, having suitable length and breadth toadapt it for effective service, and between the forward edge of the toeand a shoulder e, where the thicker knuckle-body 12 integrally joins thetailpiece,the peripheral portion. 9 of the latter is convexly curved,and its arc may be concentric with the convex-curved edge portion cl.

The kn uckle-body l2 and its integral latching-jaw 12? l are. preferablymade equal in thicknesswith that of. the draw-head 10, and said partsare laterally curved to produce a hook-like formation, the jaw beingrendered substantially ovate edgewise and curving slightly rearward whenina normal position,

so as to insure its latching engagement with a similarjaw on a matingcar-coupling and maintain such a connection until designedly released.It will be seen that, the width provided for the knuckle-body 12 at itsshoulder c being less than, the transverse diameter of the tailpiece 13,an opening for the limited rocking movement of the knucklebody isafforded at the rear edge of thelatter, where it joins the tailpiece.It'is essential that such a relative proportion be had with regard tothe construction; of parts j list described as will permit a sufficientrocking movement of the knuckle-jaw 12 for its release from a coupledcondition, as will be more fully explained. The knuckle-block 12 isfurnished with a laterally-extending limb 12 which projects nearlyopposite from the latching-jaw 12 and has an oblong orifice 2' formed init, which extends across the limb, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs.1 and 2.

Anarm lO is formed on the draw-head 10 V near its junction wit-h thedraw-bar 11, said arm projecting at the same side of the coupling withthe limb 12". On the outer end of the arm 10 there is a springcarrier-rod 15, pivoted by its rear end, as at 70, the free front end ofsaid rod loosely passing into the orifice i of the limb 12".

The carrier-rod 15 is furnished with avcollar 'm, that is formed orsecured thereon near the point of its pivotal connection with the arm10. A strong spiral spring 16 is mounted on the carrier-rod 15, havingsuch a length as will permit its ends to respectively press on thecollar m and on the rearside of the V limb 12", thereby normallyeffecting a contact of the toe 13 with the rear wall of the draw-headchamber 1), as shown in Fig. 2,

which will .give to the latching-jaw 12 a correst position for acoupling engagement with a similarly-positioned jaw on a car-coupling oflike construction.- On the outer end of the limb 12*. a link-bar 17 ispivoted, the other end of said link, thattrends toward the carframe A,having: a pivotalconnection with one endnof the lever .18. As shown inFig.

1, the lever. 18 is laterally bent to adaptit for efficient service, andat a suitable distance fromthe pivoted connection 41, between the leverand linkba-r, the lever is pivotedon the car-frame A, as represented at0. -A

sufficient lenglh is provided for the main portion ofthe lever 18 toextend its free end 18 near. tothe side of the car-frame, so that saidend may be safelymanipulated as a handle byanoperatoralongside of thecar. The portion ofthe lever. -18 thatis between the pivot o and freeend 18 is preferably sup-- ported by thebracket-plate 19, that is in theform of a bent bar having its ends secured to the car-frame and sooffsetted between these points of attachmentthat the long member of thelever Willbe adapted for vibration while resting on the bracket-plate.

'lhehracket-platelil is provided with a loopedprojection pron its lowerside, that is I provision of the lever 18 and link 17 con-,-

venient: and reliable, means are afforded for the outward-and rockingmovement of the knuckle 12, against the stress of the spring 16, torelease two couplings that are on cars and) have coupled engagementwitheach other,.so that a disconnection of two coupled cars maybe-safely andconvenientlyeffected.

The. latching-jaw 12 is caused,-when in normal position, to project itsnose one-half of the length ofsaid jaw across a straight linethatiextends longitudinally through the transversecenter ofthe draw-head11,-so that the center of the draft strain applied to two coupleddraw-heads on two of the improved car-couplings will be represented by aline 1 1, that crosses the centers of the pivot-bolts 14: and transversecenters of the latch-jaws 12 and draw-bars 11, as clearly shown in Fig.1.

The manner of constructing the knuckle and chambered draw-head insuresthe release of the knuckle-block in case the pivot-bolt 14 should bedetached or broken, and as the link 17 is still in connection with saidknuckle it will be evident that the latter will be prevented fromfalling on theground, whereby it is saved from loss or from producing anaccidental derailment of cars, that might occur if this part of thecoupling should fall on one of the track-rails.

' It willbe evidentthat in the improved car? coupling there is no needtoprovide means for locking the knuckle in closedadj ustment,

as the application of draft force totwo of said i couplings that areconnected being central on the line 1 1 insures a maintenance of their,a

coupled condition at all times until one or both of the knuckles arelaterally swung on their pivot-bolts to uncouple the draw-heads. I Itwill be apparentthat the stress ofithe springs 16 holds the mating jaws12 in position for an automatic coupling engagement when two of theimproved car-couplings are brought together, the convexandrearwardlysloping faces of the front sides of their hooked membersfacilitating a latching connection of saidparts. The hook nose of thelatchingjaw 12 is horizontally slotted at its center of thickness, asshown at r in Fig. 3, and said nose is also vertically perforated, as ats, for the reception of an ordinary coupling-pin, (not shown,)'so that acom mon coupling may -be connected by its elongated link with theimproved car-coupling if the link is placed 1 in the slot 0"and-thensecured by a pin dropped into the perforations s. Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim as-new and desire to secure by LettersPatent-- 1. The combination with a chambered-drawhead, and a pivotedknuckle having a hook like latching-jaw and a lateral projection op=positesaid jaw; of a rod pivoted to said drawhead and supporting aspring adapted to hold said jaw in'coupled engagement, the free end ofsaid rod passing through saidprojection,

a lever fulcrumedl-on the car-frame, and a,

link pivoted to said projection and to said 7 lever, as specified.

2. In a side-latching car-coupling,'the combination with the chambereddraw-head having an arm extending therefrom, and a knucklehaving-ahook-like latching-jaw piv oted in said draw-head, of .a rodpivoted to. said arm, and carrying a spring adapted to normally holdsaid knuckle in closed adjustment, and means for openingsaid j awagainst the action of said spring, as specified.

3. In a side-latching car-coupling, the come bination with a chambereddraw-head having an opening therein at the front and near one side ofthe chamber; of a knuckle having a hook-like latching-j aw, a tailpieceintegral with said knuckle concentrically pivoted in said opening, saidtailpiece being provided with a toe adapted to limit the closure of saidlatching-jaw, and a rod pivoted to an arm projecting from said draw-headand supporting a spring adapted to keep said toe normally in contactwith the rear Wall of the draw-head chamber, as specified.

4. In-a side-latching car-coupling, the combination with a draw-headhaving an arm extending therefrom, of a knuckle pivoted in saiddraw-head provided with an integral hook-like latching-jaw andtailpiece, a limb extending laterally from the rear side of said knucklehaving an orifice therein, and a spring-encircled rod pivoted at one endon said arm, its other end passing through said orifice, the tension ofthe spring normally pressing said arm and said limb apart, as and forthe purpose specified.

5. In a side-latching car-coupling, the combination with a draW-bar,adraw-head thereon having a chamber open partly at the front, and an armlaterally projected therefrom near the draw-bar, of a knuckle-blockhaving a hook-like latching-jaw, and provided with a lateral limb whichis transversely perforated, a carrier-rod pivoted on the end of the armand loosely engaging the perforation of said limb, a spring on saidcarrier-rod adapted to press the latching-jaw partly across the medianline of draft force applied to the coupling, a link pivoted to the limband also to the end of a bent lever that is fulcrumed on the car-frame,and a bracket-plate on said frame adapted to retain the lever when thelatter is rocked, to hold the knuckle open, as specified.

6. In a side-latching car-coupling,- the combination with a chambereddraw-head, and a knuckle pivoted therein having ahook-like latching-jawand an integral tailpiece, said tailpiece being provided with a toeadapted to limit the closure of said latching-jaw, of alaterally-extendin g arm formed on said drawhead at its rear, a,laterally-extending limb formed on said knuckle having an oblong orificetherein, a rod pivoted at one end on said arm, its oth er end passingloosely through said orifice, a spring encircling said rod arranged tonormally force said rod out of said orifice and keep said toe in contactwith the rear wall of the draw-head chamber, and means for counteractingthe action of said spring,'as specified.

THOMAS GALLIGAN.

Witnesses:

J. W. STAHL, M. D. MYERS.

